And, this is news to our ears! This report, which was released on 24th September by FashionUnited, an Amsterdam-based internet fashion platform that has been aggregating data and news from the global fashion industry since the 1990s. Not only did this report show that sustainable and ethical fashion are more primed for growth than other brands, it also showed that Asia Pacific continues to be the leading contributor to the apparel and footwear market globally. No surprise there.
Although consumers in these markets are more inclined to make ethical choices if they have one, it still doesn’t take away the fact that brands like Nike Inc and Adidas Group were still number one and two for the most amount of sales globally from the years 2013-2018. While these brands seem unstoppable, grassroots and local brands are giving large players a run for their money in domestic markets as the consumer is seeking to reduce their own impact on the environment. Based on the article, “In 2019, 64 percent of respondents agreed with the statement ‘I try to have a positive impact on the environment through my everyday actions’.”
In addition, as larger brands try to make fast fashion faster and create garments that have even lower price points to stay competitive, smaller brands make less clothing but communicate their label’s story and source to really get consumers to connect with what their buying. The result – less waste and a slower, more gradual growth in sales over time. Not to mention, more sustainable and ethical production that a consumer can track, especially when they know where their clothes came from and who made them. Of course, sustainable and ethical fashion have to stand out in order to see great growth opportunities, but these smaller brands can really make an impact on the landscape of sustainable fashion for our future, it just needs to be communicated with the consumer in creative ways.
To read the entire report, click here and stay tuned here on our SFD blog for more updates on what’s happening around the globe in sustainable fashion!
Team SFD
